Interviewer: Michael Taft, Recordist: Guha Shankar. Recorded at Barnard Observatory (University of Mississippi). Casey Dixon frequently leaned back in his chair and also shifted from side to side, which often put him off-mike. Combined with the preamp\u27s inherent hiss, this may result in more than usual nose in the recording

Dixon, Casey, Jr.

Shankar, Guha

Taft, Michael

eGrove (Univ. of Mississippi)

AMA2008_dixon_fieldnotes_GS.doc Date:    May 14, 2008  Time:  1:00 PM – 2:30 PM Event:  Interview with Casey Dixon [CD] for Ole Miss Summer Field School Music Project Research Collaborator/Community Member: Casey Dixon Interviewer:  Michael Taft [MT] Recordist: Guha Shankar [GS] Audience: Students (11), David Wharton, David Taylor, Sarah Pegues (sp?) – CD”s sister  Location:   Barnhard [sp?] Observatory Conference Room Around 12:45 MT called me into the kitchen at the Center for Southern Studies building where the Field School is being conducted to greet Mr. Casey Dixon, local veteran of the gospel music scene.  I had just set up the recording equipment in the conference room preparatory for the interview. In the room, acting upon the students’ advice, I had positioned the equipment so that  CD would be seated at the head of a long rectangular table that could accommodate all twelve or so audience members (students and faculty). I did not hear any unwarranted noise in the room such as equipment or other noise, although the dampened sound of traffic on the road adjacent to the building could not be avoided. (I did not remember the sensible advice to post a “Quiet Please” note on the door to the room). I made a test recording, played it back and reformatted the SD card.  In the kitchen CD, a very tall (6’3”) African-American gentleman in his mid 60’s [check bio-data], was talking David Taylor, David Wharton, and MT. CD was dressed casually in a T-shirt and a pair of blue sweatpants. We spoke briefly as time for the interview was approaching and I thanked him for agreeing to the meet with us.  Students filed into the conference room and seated themselves around the table, I arranged myself immediately to the right and slightly behind MT. Walk-in music – one of CD”s songs was playing on the boom-box. The interview began with David Wharton, field School director and Ole Miss faculty member, introducing CD. I asked CD to say something in order to set the input levels, which he did. The interview proceeded with MT asking the initial thirty-five minutes of questions.  CD gave considered responses on topics ranging from his influences in gospel music, his definition of gospel music, his ‘feelings’ toward his practice, performance traditions in the area, his recording career to the relationship between music making and the church – e.g.,  preachers are ‘down’ on music [meaning opposed to gospel music because of its popularity among parishioners].  I was particularly interested in his references to “pure real’ gospel and whether this perspective is more widely shared in the community,. This leads to related issues that he alluded to about generational affinities for the old for particular musical forms – slow tunes – as opposed to the younger set – up-tempo songs. I was also interested in his recoording career, but not much information was forthcoming. He was not particularly fulsome in his responses, although enthusiastic and emphatic at several points, and left many spaces for further probes. The distinct  possibility is that he would expand and give fuller answers in another setting, time and circumstances permitting. AMA2008_dixon_fieldnotes_GS.doc The second portion of the interview [35-65 minutes] was given over to the students [NOTE: get names from class roster] who followed up on a number of questions asked by MT and based on their own interests. {NOTE: since many students are behind the mike and at a distance of six to twelve feet, questions are not as distinct as otherwise]. The session concluded with a clear suggestion from Mr,. Dixon that he would welcome follow-up interviews. Technical notes: CD  frequently leaned back in his chair and also shifted from side to side, which often put him off-mike. Combined with the preamp’s inherent hissiness, this may result in more than usual nose in the recording However, this was not excessive as a review of the recording revealed. If necessary, EQ and nosie filters could easily remove much of the hiss. Occasionally, CD hit the table and/or mike stand in emphasizing a point – hence the loud thumps audible on occasion  - but this does not dilute the content.  Other occasional clicking noise is audible from shutter on digital camera operated by DW – see photo logs for related images. NOTE:  Mike input gain was set on high -  may account for hiss on recording from preamps;   Technical information:     Audio File number: AMA2008_dixon.wav Related fieldnotes: AMA2008_dixon_fieldnotes_MT.doc Recording Unit: Edirol M-09 digital SD recorder   Microphone: Edirol Rode stereo mike - external   Settings:  44.1khz/16bit; WAV file  MONO recording 

Interview with Casey Dixon, Jr., gospel singer and composer

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eGrove (Univ. of Mississippi)